I currently use Vittoria Evo CX (23 front, 25mm rear) and Continental Competition 25mm tubulars and I'm looking for something different. The Vittorias have good road feel, but on the roads around here (Madison, WI) they puncture rather easily (mostly rocks puncturing the sidewalls). The Contis are very durable but provide a much firmer ride. Yes, I'll probably get Veloflex Carbons when I spot a good deal on them, but the 25mm Schwalbe Ultremo HTs have caught my eye recently. Has anybody given these tubulars a good workout? What's the verdict? How do they compare with what I'm using now?

the Schwalbes are the best constucted Tub i've ever used..... go on straight and the base tape is nice. Ride is as good as anything top end but Veloflex extereme may trump it slightly. Longevity.... not yet put enough miles on them yet.....

I have 23 mm Ultremo HT...IMO They re nice tires and decent price (can get less than 80 bucks off ebay or tiremaniac here in US). I have approximately close to 1000 miles, and have not yet had a puncture. The difference with my sprinter gatorskin tubular is night and day. Ultremo HT is much more supple. Grip for cornering seems to be very good. I have not ridden veloflex yet, but it is slightly better than GP 4000 tubular. I had bad experience with gp4000 tubular that both tires didnt last 500 miles. Several more hundred miles, I will be replacing the back with 25 mm ultremo HT.

Ultremo HT are well done tubies. New ISOGrip Vitto Corsas are giving more feedback but are bit harsher IMHO - same price point. Veloflex Carbon and Extreme are really out of this world but not as sturdy - durability and puncture prot. And they are at a much higher price point. I recently tried '14 Durano HT tubies and was pleasantly surprised - similar and actually a little better feel than Sprinters and definitely better than gators - too bad they come only in 22mm - this kind of tire should come in 25mm

Have put a couple of thousand KM on two sets (rear was done after that)

They are nice yes. But they are more towards the Conti Comp end of the spectrum than the supple end. Yes they have latex inners, but the casing looks and feels very similar, if perhaps a bit more supple than a Conti Comp. Puncture resistance is good but not Comp level IME.

They are very straight and glue on easily.

IMO they are a nice compromise between Vittoria SC type tyre and Comps if you need it.

Note the "One" tub will supplant the HT at the top of their tub range.

I've got a good solid 3k on mine, gave up the ghost just the other day, my pump doing the same is partly to blame, could have been riding with full pressure, but anyway...

My personal experience of this tyre left me a little flat. I got about as much grip as a cheap Gommitalia Champion or similar, slightly thicker rubber meant i got a couple extra hundred km out of them than i would have. They're definitely a road racing tyre and not a touring type as they definitely ran much better with 140psi than 100, comfort didn't really suffer, so the casing is clearly pretty supple. I got a few cuts in the rear, one in the sidewall, never posed any problem. Altogether i think they're more of a toughness choice than a speed choice; say if you're doing bad roads but insist on a 22-23 with higher pressure and want more grip than a tufo. It's not my choice, but i'm sure it's exactly up someone's alley.

I'm thinking of going with challenge strada or forte in 24 or 25 next time around, hopefully the casing is up to the task?

_________________it's actually possible to come to the conclusion even before realising it makes no sense at all -
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I like the HT's, but I have found the 22's to be a bit narrow. The construction quality is fantastic, and they are super straight and not lumpy at all. Nice smooth ride. Durability has been good as well. Haven't flatted them, and I rode them every single weekend this year (all midwest US crit racing with a few road races thrown in). However, I think that my Vittoria CX II's grip on corners a bit better...just every so slightly. I'd really like to try out the HT 25's, but the tires are so darn expensive.

Someone above mentioned the Challenge Strada 25's...I don't think they are in the same league. Nice tire for sure, but the ride isn't nearly as supple as my Vittorias. I seem to have to ride them at a much lower pressure to get the same ride. They are a great value though!

I agree with the other posters, the HT's are closer to the Conti Comps in feel, they are a bit wooden, not as supple. I personally like the 19mm Comps as the best compromise between weight , durability and price. However the Veloflex extreme are sublime, great tire and good puncture protection except on the side walls, but obviously not as durable

Thanks to all who took the time to reply to my question. Your input is greatly appreciated. As prevailing opinion indicates that the Ultremo is closer to the Conti Comp end of the spectrum, I think I'm going to hold off on purchasing new tires for the moment and wait for the Schwalbe One tubular to become available. The promo info I've read indicates that they will be available in 24mm width and that might be just the ticket.

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